Various prior publications deal with the transfer of single and multiple powder and liquid toner images from a photoreceptor on which they are formed to an intermediate transfer member for subsequent transfer to a final substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,838,919 to Takahashi describes a toner system in which color toner images are sequentially formed on an image forming member, individually transferred to an intermediate transfer member and transferred at one time to a recording member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,144,808 to Isawa et al. describes a method of printing on a metal plate utilizing powder toner and an intermediate transfer member where the plate is heated before transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,518,976 to Tarumi et al. describes a monochrome powder toner system in which a powder image is developed on a photoreceptor, and transferred electrostatically to an intermediate transfer member. Downstream this transfer, the intermediate transfer member and the image thereon are heated before transfer to a preheated substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,515,460 to Knechtel, describes a powder toner apparatus wherein separate toner images are sequentially developed on a photoreceptor and electrostatically transferred to an intermediate transfer member. After all of the individual images have been transferred to the intermediate transfer member, they are transferred electrostatically to the final substrate. No heating of the images or substrate is disclosed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,319 to Okamoto et al. describes a powder developer type, single color system, utilizing a temperature controlled photoreceptor, a heated intermediate transfer member and a heated transfer fixing roller which is heated to a temperature slightly higher than that of the intermediate transfer member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,539 to Radulski et al. describes a liquid toner multi-color system in which a color image is developed on a photoreceptor and transferred to a belt type intermediate transfer member. The liquid carrier is removed from the toner image on the belt. There is no mention of heating the intermediate transfer member or of a solution to the problem of back transfer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,460 to Langdon describes a single color liquid toner system in which a developed image is transferred from a photoreceptor to an intermediate transfer member, heated on the transfer member and then transferred to a final substrate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,847,478 to Young describes a duplex printing system, wherein a developed image is transfered from a photoconductor to an intermediate transfer member, a second image is developed on the photoconductor and both images are transfered electrostatically to opposite sides of a piece of paper passed between the intermediate transfer member and the photoreceptor.
None of the above prior art references deal with transferring a heated liquid toner image to an intermediate transfer member or with problems of back transfer from the intermediate transfer member to the photoreceptor in liquid toner multicolor systems.